After a town tragedy, the parents and leaders of Bomont felt compelled to do something to save their children.
They imposed stricter curfews.They committed to raising their children in church.They banned rock and roll music, and they stopped dancing.
No dancing at schools. No prom. No homecoming dances. No dancing period.
The fictional town of Bomont is the setting of the musical “Footloose” showing Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night. Tickets are available using School Pay. They can also be purchased at the door.
“The theater department has been working for months to make the show really amazing,” sophomore Avalon Barretto said. “Honestly for where we are right now, I think it will blow the minds of everyone who sees it. Everyone is doing so good, their singing voices are amazing and absolutely everyone on the cast is great at acting, and the choreography is amazing.”
Rehearsals for the acting, dancing and singing started months ago. The cast immediately created a family including the experienced and new performers.
“I think we kind of create a sense of family with these people,” senior Aiden Hamilton said. “And eventually, you know, you kind of grow together. I’m confident in the department when we leave still growing and continuing to do its thing.”
Many of the seniors on the cast have been members of the drama, choir and musical productions for four years. Knowing this was their last musical, the seniors really appreciate the little things.
“There’s this one scene where we have to roll Marcus Shumake on a cart and one day we forgot the cart,” senior Nevaeh Scholwinski said. “So we had like five minutes holding him just screaming, ‘no, no, no, no.’ And then we slung him on like a fence and it broke for us, throwing him on stage. That was the funniest thing ever.”
For senior Stephen Brown, the first dance practice left a mark he will carry with him beyond graduation.
“My most interesting moment would definitely be our first dance rehearsal,” he said. “I was rehearsing with one of my good friends Joseph Sheldon. So we had this certain blocking, and we got into it a little too much. I completely chipped off like half my canine tooth. And it was hilarious, and it was it was really funny. I think that kind of just added to the like you know, we’re all family here.
People may know the story of “Footloose” from the original movie from 1984 and the remake from 2011, but the musical adds more to the story. There is no Kevin Bacon or Julianna Hough and the story goes deeper than just teens wanting to go to prom.
“The story and progression is so interesting, and the actors and actresses playing these parts bring not only light to the characters but bring themselves and it’s just a really in depth play, Brown said. “And while some would say it’s a silly” musical, I think the questions it proposes and the stories we tell are incredible. It’s not just entertainment. It’s a commentary on life in general. And so I think that’s why seeing the musical is such a good idea.”
The teens casts as teens in the musical get to rebel against the adults of Bomont. But many of the cast members play the adults trying to hold the youth of Bomont to almost impossible standards.
“My favorite part is where I have the most fun in the play,” sophomore Jhun Abarquez said. “This is a larger role than I had last year, which meant I had to work harder with choreo, music and blocking.“
The theme of the musical will resonate with any person in the audience.
“’Footloose’ is a really great story,” sophomore Avalon Barretto “It really tells a story about teenagers taking control of their own lives, and not letting a higher power completely control them. As someone who has been working with this every single day without taking a break, each time we run through the show it really amazes me. We just keep getting better and better and you should come see it.”
